Lane 96

Lane 96

A dark and lonely road loomed through a wooded area near a lane designated as lane 96. The only illumination seemed to come from the full moon staring down at it from above. From afar, where the road met the navy blue sky, small specks of light could be seen coming into view. The two spheres grew bigger as they came closer. Slowly, a shape behind them began to take form. A vehicle was approaching lane 96. The highway had been quiet and empty. No one else had been there for hours.

The date is June 8, 1993, and the car approaching belongs to one Brian Delorey.

Brian had overstayed his usual visit to Virginia, where his aunts and uncles lived. He lived in New Jersey, in a small town not so far away. Albeit, it was an 8-hour drive from Virginia, but Brian enjoyed the quietness and the calm soothing air of traveling at night. Driving past a sign signaling the new lane he was on, Brian thought about all the things he had learned during his visit to Virginia. Most of his memories were filled with Aunt Jeannette and her words of wisdom. She was a charismatic woman. A strong-willed housewife that loved to bring laughter and joy into other people’s hearts.

As a little kid growing up in New Jersey, Brian remembered his aunt coming to visit and saving him from multiple spankings. He had always been grateful to her for that. Even now, in his 30’s, she treated him like a child. Most people respected her, others despised her, but overall she had always been a kind and loving person to be with. She also had a fiery attitude. On occasion, she would let this side out to her closest peers. He knew her very well. Some event in her past had changed her, it seems, which is why she always stayed in a defensive posture. An event so traumatic, she no longer liked to talk about it.

Still, Brian thought, his trip to Virginia hadn’t all been for family and friends. He stared at his suitcase filled with documents and photographs and reminded himself that this had also been a business trip. A very important one. Brian was a graphic designer, you see, and his job had brought him here because of the change in scenery. As his mind began to wander on the things he’d do once he reached home, and the amount of photos he’d have to sift through, something extraordinary happened.

SCREEEEEECH!

Brian slammed on the breaks and the car swung from side to side, tossing him against the walls and making him lose control of his steering. Finally, after crashing through some bushes and tree branches, the car came to a stop and a light-headed Brian stepped out of the car to stare at the thing that had disoriented him in the first place. In front of him, past the pitch blackness of the woods, a mysterious, eerie cityscape appeared before him. Tall, majestic buildings with lights of all colors circled the land. Each one was unique in its own way but none seemed familiar to him. Brian couldn’t understand what he was seeing. He had travelled on this road before ever since he was a child. Never had he seen a city so close to the highway and so intensely bright. Had he lost his mind?

Brian ditched his vehicle and began to walk towards this strange sighting. As he entered the woods and began to run like a maniac through the forest, everything seemed eerily quiet. Brian appeared hellbent on finding out more about this city. Nothing could stop him from figuring it out now. He was so close. Suddenly, and without any warning, the illumination from the city faded away back into darkness and as he approached the end of the woods, the city was gone.

Crickets could be heard now whereas everything before was silent. Brian frowned in confusion and just stood there, trying to make sense of what had just happened. When he turned to walk away, he heard a noise behind him and froze. Something was not right. The forest had changed somehow. When he heard the noise again, he decided to make a run for it. Exiting the woods and approaching the highway again, he could feel something chasing him. He could see his car nearby and was about to enter it when suddenly the lights came back. When Brian turned around, he expected to see the city, but instead was faced with the front end of a truck. Jumping out of it’s way, the angry driver cursed him out and honked the horn. Brian shook his head and dusted himself off.

After several wasted minutes sitting inside his car wondering what to do, he finally turned it back on and continued on with his journey. When he passed the exact spot where he had seen the city, he could only make out farmland and trees. Where was the city? Brian couldn’t understand. Looking over his suitcase and realizing he still had several hours of traveling, he shook his head and drove away into the night. And Lane 96 was silent once again.